need suggestions...

My new little EASY L easel. I love the size on this one - and it weighs practically nothing. I haven't used it out in the field yet, because it's been so hot, but I think I feel cooler air coming on, I'm hoping anyway. There are some great paint outs coming up including a multi-day paint out up at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu. I'm alreading picturing the back of my car filled with art supplies.








See how clean and pretty it is? Just wait!









This is the view I have from my painting tables every day. That's the door that goes into my living room and kitchen. The nice full boxes of paints are extras just waiting to replace my used-up tubes when they're done. You can see the open ones underneath the little shelf.





Okay, I'm doing a group show at Weems Uptown that opens September 4. I have 10 30x40 canvases that I will be painting - and framing. First time framing large oil paintings for me.
I need to know what I should paint on these beautiful blank surfaces! I want a cohesive show but also a range of subjects that would make a nice group showing together.
This is what I'm thinking so far:
Pedernal
Mass of wild flowers
Sunflowers
Taos Landscape
The Gorge
Not enough thoughts in my head yet. If you have suggestions, send them to me!






This is my drying rack for my little daily paintings. It's an old record rack for holding 45 records. I wanted to find a double one but haven't run across one yet. This is nice because it separates the paintings and keeps the paint from smearing but it doesn't take up a lot of space.
Well, it's time to work now. I have a little painting to finish, some commissions, and lots of prep work to do.

Oh, and I will have a post later on my other blog:
www.deewhatever.blogspot.com

Have a great weekend!

alameda studio tour

The "ALAMEDA STUDIO TOUR" has a facebook page

and we need 50 people to "LIKE" it.

Please log into your facebook page, and either look up Alameda Studio Tour or

Please click HERE to see the page

and if you like it,

click LIKE!

Thanks!

new studio tour info

The website is up and in progress for the upcoming

1st Annual Alameda Studio Tour!

The tour dates are:

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Sunday, October 9, 2011

This is awesome because it coincides with the last weekend of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

To view the new site, CLICK HERE.

Two of my paintings shot in the studio under natural daylight instead of artificial lights in the evening. Can you see the difference from the ones below? Still working on it...

"MILAGRO"

6"X8"

This is my daily auction painting - Milagro means miracle and I painted this from a photo I took in Taos, New Mexico last October. It was truly a miracle to me - the colors were the most briliant I had ever seen in Taos, actually anywhere. These are aspen trees in a big open field full of chamisa and sage and clouds are hiding part of the mountain tops. If you are interested in this painting, please CLICK HERE to preview and place your bid.

"SPRING RUNOFF"

8"X10"

SOLD

This is a beautiful image of a running stream, spring foliage, and background hills.

"THE RIVER BELOW"

8"X10"

SOLD

I'm pretty sure this is a hilltop view of the Rio Grande Gorge - harder to paint than I thought.

"MAGICA II"

8"X10"

Gift

One of many paintings that I like to call "WILDS," which just means a big mass of flowers, a meadow, a bouquet, etc.

I am still not happy with the photographs of paintings I'm taking for posting on my blog - when I get the set-up fixed the way I want it, you'll know!

new daily painting

"TAOS MOUNTAIN, SPRING"

5"X7"

dp6 - auction

My favorite place in the whole world - Taos, New Mexico. This is a quickly painted sunset with the mountains as a background.

To preview the auction and a chance to place your bid, CLICK HERE.

on the way to Santa Fe...

I went to Santa Fe yesterday and the scenery was just beautiful. We finally got some rain and everything was so clean and fresh. The hills were rolling and the clouds were puffy - a perfect combination!

I took enough photos to create 100 paintings. I am seeing large oils pieces - maybe 48x48 or even larger. Just beautiful vistas and dynamic skies. Stay tuned.

Look at these hills, rolling and peaceful. These images were all taken from my car while we were moving (no, I wasn't driving!) I always wish I could view these hills and mesas from the air, or go back behind them to see more.

This is the Algodones plateau - isn't this wonderful? The dry arroyo bed in the foreground, the yellow sage of the mesa and the darkness of the juniper trees, with the coolness of the plateau. I think it was raining back behind the mountains.

This is a strange view of the Sandia Mountains as you come into town. They are doing construction work on the highway and the yellow you see is some type of covering they have put down to keep the dirt from blowing. The mountains are a dark sort of blue/purple - I think it gives them an eerie cast. There are a few junipers and the cloudy are lovely. I am going to paint this and take some liberties to make it my own.

"CIELO"

"CIELO" 6"X6"

dp5 - auction

It was all about the sky for me on this one. No matter that I loved the old adobe and its surroundings. The sky was the bluest I can remember in a long time.
Also I would like to thank everyone for embracing my new little paintings - they all have auction bids! If you would like to view all of the auctions, please click the Daily Paintworks Gallery link on the right hand top of this page.
An interesting day planned. Will report more later.
TO PREVIEW THE AUCTION OR PLACE A BID ON THIS PAINTING, CLICK HERE.

"GOLDEN FIELD"

"GOLDEN FIELD"

7"X5"

dp4

I love this little painting - although I've decided that 5x7 isn't quite big enough for me, especially since I'm using large brushes. So I am ordering some nice new 6x8 Raymar panels. That should give me enough work space to just get in there and be free! This painting is a nice golden poppy field with a few other flowers scattered throughout.

This painting is up for a seven day auction.

TO VIEW THE AUCTION AND PLACE YOUR BID, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

"HIDDEN GARDEN"

"HIDDEN GARDEN"

6"X6"

dp3

My favorite subject - large masses of wildflowers and sunflowers. Brimming with lots of what I like to call harmonious chaos!

All of my small new daily paintings are being offered for auction on Daily Paintworks. The starting bid is $45, and lasts for seven days.

To preview this auction and a chance to place your bid, please CLICK HERE.

Have a great day!

"VELARDE RISTRAS"

"VELARDE RISTRAS"

6"X6"

dp2 - auction

This is one of the world famous fruit stands in Velarde, New Mexico, on the road to Taos. It's known for having beautiful orchards, flowers, and loads of fresh, red chile in late summer and fall.

This painting is up fpr auction. To preview and a chance to place your bid, click HERE. Also, I have joined a new daily painting site that is AWESOME! Every daily painting I post here will also be posted there. You can view them starting tomorrow. The link is http://dailypaintworks.com. You can also see my daily paintings at http://dailypainters.com. I've been a member there since 2006.

Daily Painting #1

"JEMEZ FALL"

5"X7"

DP1

My first daily painting in forever.

I didn't realize it had been such a long time but I told you they were coming! This is from a day trip to Jemez Springs and a nice rest by the river. I think it was last September and very serene and peaceful.

Here is how the Daily Paintings will work:

Each painting will be up for auction for a period of seven days.

~I will try to post five or more per week.

~Each painting will have a number attached to it. For instance, the painting above is DP1 - that way I can keep them separate from all of my Weems Artfest paintigs.

~I am painting only what I see so each painting will be my first impression of the subject with no retouching or glazing.

~They will be 5x7, 6x6, and 6x8.

~Each painting will be shipped by Priority Mail as soon as it is dry to the touch.

For paintings not sold during auction, they may be purchased by Paypal for $85, including shipping.

So, here we go as I start back up with Daily Paintings and also paintings for Weems Artfest.

Here's to a productive sixteen weeks!

To preview the auction and a chance to place your bid, click HERE.

Weems always fun $285 Show

The Weems annual $285 Show was today, and it was fun. Everything in the show is $285 or less. Some of us had paintings that were over $1000 going for #285 and people got some really great deals.

This is Jane, trying to help people decide on their purchases.

This is also Jane, going at Warp Speed while everyone else is standing still to get things done!

People choosing their paintings

The line outside the gallery before it opened. The earliest people got there at 4:30am this morning. They assigned each person a number according to their place in line, then everyone got to go in the gallery and choose one painting. After everyone had chosen their first choice, they opened the gallery doors and people could take paintings off the wall. It was great!

People brought their own chairs to wait it out!

More photos below.

the always fun WEEMS summer $285 show

New friends with two of my paintings

A customer trying to decide

Marion, the lady in charge of all things Artfest, and Mary Ann Weems, the owner of Weems Gallery

Some of my paintings in the show

Waiting to purchase their treasures

Auctioning my Easy L Versa

EASY L VERSA EASEL AUCTION!

TO PREVIEW AND POSSIBLY PLACE YOUR BID, CLICK HERE.

$285 Show at Weems Uptown tomorrow!

WEEMS #285 SHOW TOMORROW ONLY!!

I just wanted to remind everyone that Weems Uptown is having their annual $285 show tomrrow from 10am - 5pm.

There are twelve artists or so with work in the show. I have about 35 paintings hanging that will all be $285 or less.

A couple that are large and over $1500.

You can preview the show today from 10am - 5pm.

I plan on being in attendance from 10am until noon or so.

If you want to get a great deal on a painting and come out and say hi, please drop by.

The gallery is between Louisiana and San Pennsylvania on the south side of Montgomery.

Please call 293-6133 for more information.

new work...not yet available

"THE ARROYO I"

10"X8"

"AUTUMN IN SECO I"

8"X10"

"LITTLE ADOBE, TAOS"

8"X10"

"COMING HOME"

12"X9"

This painting will be available at One Artist Road Gallery in about two weeks. It is one of my favorite subjects to paint and no matter how many times I paint it, it never looks the same.

I wish I could live right at this spot for a year and paint it every day on the hour; early morning right as the sun is coming up, and especially evening, when the sunsets must be magnificent. I'm always driving into Taos in a hurry to get there, so my view is trying to snap a couple of photos out of the car window or parked at the rest stop. Not very glamorous.

I wanted to let you all know that Weems Uptown Gallery is having their special $285 show next Saturday - I believe the time is 10am - 5pm. You guys know this one, it's a once a year event to thank customers for their patronage. All of the artists putting their work in the show have their paintings marked at $285 or less. I have a couple of large pieces in the show that are normally a couple of thousand dollars each for only $285. And about 20 smaller pieces priced at less than that. Everything is usually gone by around 1-2pm, so you have to get there early. I think you can preview the show in full this coming Friday. I am going to try to go, so I hope so of you will come out and say hello.

I promise, daily paintings are coming in just a few days!

Oh, and scroll below to see the new commissions I just finished.

new work

"TAOS RED WITH HORSE"

11"X14"

SOLD

"SUNSET TOWARDS SANTA FE I"

10"X8"

SOLD

"THE POPPY FIELD"

8"X8"

SOLD

"THE PATHWAY"

8"X10"

SOLD

"SUNSET TOWARDS SANTA FE II"

8"X10"

SOLD

lists and stuff

This is my new plein air "chair."

I've been on the lookout for a cool chair that I can whip out of the back of my SUV and plop it down on the ground and it's comfortable and sturdy. I've tried stools, I've tried artist's chairs that were made specifically for plein air painting but I've never been totally satisfied.

I found this chair at Big Lots and it had a tag with a picture of a football on it and said something like "BIG GAME DAY" chair. I think it's meant for tailgate parties and the cup holder is for beer. Hmm. We won't tell anyone it's going to hold turpentine instead! It also folds up, which means it will take up less room in the back.

This is my new cute little plein air easel. It's called the Prochade Box and is available from Artwork Essentials. It's the same place that makes my Easy L Versa. I like the Versa, but it's so much bigger than what I need for plein air painting. This is like my little cigar box, but better. It has a spring clip on the top, so you put your panel or canvas in and it just snaps down and holds it in place - no clamps, no bungees. It's super lightweight and I can't wait to go get it dirty with paints. If anyone is in the market for a Versa, email me. I am considering selling mine.

This is my list of weeks I have until Artfest. I always make this list so I can see time flying by and get nervous. I have to at least create on Artfest painting this week so I don't feel like I'm procrastinating (I am!).

This is my subject list. I don't always use it. Sometimes, when I am near the end of getting ready for a show, I will go over it to see if I left out anything I really wanted to paint. It's been too hot to get out an do much plein air painting, plus there have been all of the wildfires here, so I will probably rely on photos until the weather turns a little cooler. Some of our plein air events have been cancelled due to the extreme fire danger and smoke everywhere. We need rain badly.

So, as you can see, I'm trying to get organized. I've been working in the studio, but only in the evenings when things are a little cooler. Maybe you'll see a new painting tonight...

new paintings

"WANDERLUST"

11"X14"

"ALGODONES SUNSET"

12"X16"

"SKY OVER MESA"

12"X16"

"AUTUMN CHILE RISTRAS"

11"X14"

"CLOUDBURST"

16"X12"

New paintings for

ONE ARTIST ROAD GALLERY, Santa Fe

One more in the works.